Fat Controller

I once had a comprehension test as part of an interview with RfD; a tape of station announcements in French regional accents/ dialects. I had to note the train number, platforms and any other notes. Fortunately, we'd travelled and worked in the 'four corners of the Hexagon'..

The 'Locker Wagon' seems very similar in concept to the 'Shellcase' wagons, converted in the 1950s/60s from redundant 'Pa;brick' wagons. The main difference seems to be that the later wagons did not seem to have lids.

Anything and everything that might have been carried in a merchandise open; the difference with the ex-PO 8-plank minerals would have been the continuous planks above the doors, which would make loading and unloading more difficult. The ex-SR types had 'cupboard' doors instead, which eliminated the problem.

The Centurion, which appeared at the end of WW2, was the first British MBT to be to big for rail transport in the UK

Vickers at Elswick was still going strong in the 1980s; I used to pass it on my way onto the 'Toon'. Their products were out-of-gauge for rail transport, however. The military stock may have conveyed civil engineer;s plant for one of the various ranges and training areas, north and west of Newcastle. Alternatively, they might be collecting things like pontoons or bridge assemblies. r

One thing I remember, after the Miners' Strike, were the long rows of 21t fitted hoppers at TCFD. They were being held before being sent for total/ partial rebuilding as ballast/ spoil carriers to replace the remaining unfitted wagons in the CCE fleet.

They normally seem to be separated by neutral sections, through which the trains coast.

France uses a mixture of 1.5kV DC and 25kV. The lower voltage includes the former PLM and PO lines, though most electrification since the 1960s has been 25 kV Italy uses a mixture of 3kV and 25 kV.

They were photographed at the goods depot west of Truro, presumably on the same traffic, Mike.

Didn't 'Rom River Reinforcement' have a deopt around there?

There was a regular traffic to Gateshead, containing stores and spares, ranging from brake shoes to loco bogies, diesel engines, and generators. It was always good for a wide selection of 'Specials', from Lowmacs to bogie Flatrols; most would have wagon sheets covering the more delicate bits. It started at Crewe Works, then went by Derby Works, before heading north. I don't know what had been at Etherley, but from the photos I've seen, it looked as though they were trying to bury a viaduct!

SPA s at Shildon, I recollect being told.

Or on the cast plate and the painted identity...I used to do a daily wagon census at a small British Steel plant, as part of a summer job. I'd normally find a couple of anomalies each day, such as mineral wagons with NPCCS labelling/

Mention of Blaydon Yard reminded me of a traffic worked to and from there after the Miners' Strike. This was of various air-braked vehicles for internal cleaning before going off-lease; amongst the types seen were the 'Clyde Cement' bogie hoppers. I've no idea why Blaydon was chosen.

They were staged at TCFD, before being worked south (or north, if they were going to Grangemouth). The only fuel storage at TCFD was diesel-powered plant, such as the Coles' Crane and the forklifts.

It still happens today, with workings from South Wales to Eastleigh and Westbury of 66s for weekend engineers' work. SNCF run timetabled 'Trains des machines' of up to 20 locos and locotracteurs, some for considerable distances.

Angerstein Wharf?

The reason for the 03 working the trips was the extra speed in comparison with the 08. One job was taking the Cartics through Central Station if they'd arrived facing the 'wrong way round' Easier than having to pay warranties after the 'jockeys' had tried reversing the cars off.

I forgot the Bullion train; it's imminent arrival signalled by the arrival of a couple of Granadas conveying Tyneside's finest.

I used to look after some office blocks that had a bird's eye view of the place, a couple of years before the period you mention. At that time, the traffic I remember included the following: Inbound Guinness in VGA and VDA Steel plate in SPAs Insulaton (rolls) in Bogie ferry bans Bricks from Butterley in OBA and OCA Outbound Aluminium slabs in Cargowaggon hooded flats There was also traffic that was staged here, but loaded elsewhere. This included roof tiles for Redland in OAA, trade cars (Ford) on Cartic 4, Army trailers from Birtley, in SPA, Fruit and veg in Transfesa vans to Team Valley Greenmarket. Chocolate from Fawdon, explosives to Black Callerton, scrap from various yards. Yard shunting was by an 08, with an 03 that covered local trips to Blaydon and Dunston. Hope this is of some use.

In one of the Paul Shannon books on post-1968 Rail Freight, there is another view of this vehicle being unloaded by crane at Cambridge goods yard. Presumably being taken to Duxford for restoration?

BR used to have 'Control Specials', which would move wagons from areas where there was a surfeit to locations where they might find gainful employment.

They might have been conveying MoD stores, but the MoD usually use debranded ISO boxes or special munitions-carrying ones which have number of full-height, but narrow, hinged doors, covering the whole side. The other main source of traffic at Elgin was Chivas Regal, conveyed in (non-ISO) tank containers,

The containers look like one of the types that preceded the Freightliner service; originally running on the 'Condor' and other Speedfreight services. I believe the longest ones were 27' long, due to restrictions on tractor and trailer lengths. There is a a photo of a similar style of box in 'Freightliner- life and times'. I'm not sure, but I suspect the underframes were converted from 'Tube' wagons

Looking at the many views of both dock, and on-street , tracks in 'The Nevill's Dock and Railway Company', no checkrails are evident. The most recent photos date from the mid-1960s.